Andre Ward vacates WBA super middleweight title

Ward's decision to vacate the WBA title has been expected, as he will now move up in weight to the light heavyweight division and pursue a showdown with WBO, IBF and WBA champion Sergey Kovalev in 2016.

Ward had not defended the title since a dominant decision win against Edwin Rodriguez in November 2013.

He won the belt in November 2009, when he defeated Mikkel Kessler by a one-sided 11th round technical decision.

The 2004 Olympic gold medalist was supposed to fight in his debut at light heavyweight against Alexander Brand on November 21 on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez fight, but withdrew because of an injury to his right knee.